Teleoperated surgical system with scan based positioning

Abstract

A method is provided for use with a teleoperated surgical system, the method comprising: determining patient position information during a setup for a performance of the surgical procedure within an instance of the surgical system; determining a match between the determined patient position and a patient position signature; and launching a support arm control signal within the surgical system that corresponds to the matched support arm signature.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for use with a teleoperated surgical system (surgical system), the method comprising:
 using one or more scan sensors to sense patient position to determine patient position information; 
 determining, using a processor, a match between the determined patient position information and a patient position signature; 
 using the one or more scan sensors to sense patient anatomical features to determine patient anatomical feature information; and 
 determining, using the processor, a match between the determined patient anatomical feature information and a patient anatomical feature signature; and 
 launching a support arm control signal based upon a stored rule for selecting the support arm control signal based upon a combination of the patient position signature and the anatomical feature signature. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further including:
 moving a mechanical support arm to a position that corresponds to the launched control signal value. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further including:
 moving a mechanical support arm segment to a rotational position about a horizontal axis that corresponds to the launched control signal value. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further including:
 moving a mechanical support arm segment to a rotational position about a vertical axis that corresponds to the launched control signal value. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein using one or more scan sensors to sense patient position and produce patient position information includes scanning with a one of a laser position sensor and an infra-red position sensor. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further including:
 for each of a multiplicity of occurrences of a setup of one or more instances of the surgical system for performance of a surgical procedure, recording patient position information during the setup and recording support arm position information during the setup; and 
 determining a respective a respective patient position signature to associate with a respective support arm position based at least in part upon the recorded patient position information and the recorded support arm position information. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further including:
 for each of a multiplicity of occurrences of a setup of one or more instances of the surgical system for performance of a surgical procedure, recording patient anatomical feature information during the setup, recording patient position information during the setup, and recording support arm position information during the setup; and 
 determining a respective combination of a respective patient anatomical feature signature and a respective patient position signature to associate with a respective support arm position based at least in part upon the recorded patient anatomical feature information and the recorded patient position information and the recorded support arm position information. 
 
     
     
       8. A surgical system that includes a surgical instrument and a surgical instrument actuator comprising:
 one or more scan sensors to sense patient position to determine patient position information; 
 one or more scan sensors to sense patient anatomical features to determine patient anatomical feature information; 
 a surgical instrument support arm; 
 a processor; 
 a memory storage device; 
 wherein the memory storage device stores an instruction set executable on the processor to cause the surgical system to perform operations comprising: 
 determining a match between the determined patient position information and a patient position signature; 
 determining a match between the determined patient anatomical feature information and a patient anatomical feature signature; and 
 launching a support arm control signal based upon a stored rule for selecting the support arm control signal based upon a combination of the patient position signature and the anatomical feature signature. 
 
     
     
       9. The surgical system of  claim 8 , the operations further including:
 for each of a multiplicity of occurrences of a setup of one or more instances of the surgical system for performance of a surgical procedure, recording patient position information during the setup and recording support arm position information during the setup; and 
 determining a respective a respective patient position signature to associated with a respective support arm position based at least in part upon the recorded patient position information and the recorded support arm position information. 
 
     
     
       10. The surgical system of  claim 8  further including:
 for each of a multiplicity of occurrences of a setup of one or more instances of the surgical system for performance of a surgical procedure, recording patient anatomical feature information during the setup, recording patient position information during the setup, and recording support arm position information during the setup; and 
 determining a respective combination of a respective patient anatomical feature signature and a respective patient position signature to associate with a respective support arm position based at least in part upon the recorded patient anatomical feature information and the recorded patient position information and the recorded support arm position information.